Forbidden: A Shade Darker – The Complete Collection. Leslie Kelly

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       6

      KIT WAS HAVING a bad morning, and that was an understatement.

      Erin was remaining tight-lipped and distant, stewing in her own amnesiac juices. She’d been like that for the past few days. She’d come in for the morning and worked on abusing more plants before she lit out with barely a goodbye. Something was going on, but Erin wasn’t about to tell Kit what. In addition, her other part-timer hadn’t shown up today, having had to go to the hospital because her daughter had their second grandchild.

      The bell rang as her next appointment arrived. After spending two hours with an almost-impossible-to-please bride whom Kit had finally managed to quell—while handling the counter—she took a breather. Luckily, that wedding account alone would keep her afloat for another month.

      Kit sighed, gathering up the flowers that Erin had savaged earlier in the day. Before she could try to redo the arrangements, her cell rang.

      “Hey, Kit.”

      “Walt. What’s up?” It was her delivery guy.

      “I’m stranded. Something in the engine blew on the van, and I’m out past Baldwinsville. I called for a tow, but they’re not here yet.”

      “Are you okay?”

      “Yeah, I’m fine, but there’s no way I’ll get all these deliveries done today.”

      Kit closed her eyes. She had known she needed a new van for some time. Money, of course, was the issue. And there’d be no money if those flowers didn’t get delivered.

      She heard the bell out front and pulled her shoulders up straight. No one said running a small business was easy. She’d have to try to catch Erin, and if possible, have her pick up the flowers for delivery. That could save the day.

      “Thanks, Walt. Go with the van and see what the repairs are—take it to Ike’s, and I’m going to try to contact Erin to come by and grab the remaining deliveries. Tell the garage not to make any repairs until I know exactly how much they’ll cost.”

      “Will do, Kit. I’ll let you know.”

      Kit hung up the phone and went out to the front. The first thing she saw was a large, strong male back. The man leaned down to smell a bouquet of Gerbera daisies. As she caught his profile, she knew exactly who it was.

      “Hank?”

      He spun abruptly, nearly upsetting the vase of flowers, but he was quick and caught it before it fell.

      “Hey, Kit. How are ya?”

      She swallowed hard, raising a hand to smooth her hair and wishing she wasn’t wearing her work apron. She’d had a fantastic time with Hank the other night, dancing the whole evening away. He’d walked her to her car and kissed her until her toes curled before he said good-night.

      He hadn’t asked or pushed for anything more than the kiss, and she’d been awake for hours, like a teenage girl, thinking about it.

      “What are you doing here?”

      “I thought you might like to get some dinner. You know, with me. I’m on my three-day-off rotation.”

      “Oh, I really can’t. I’m alone here today, and my driver just called. The van broke down, and I have to try to get a hold of Erin to see if she can be there in time to pick up the remainder and get them delivered, or I have to close and go get them myself.”

      She hated to close, but the flowers that needed delivering were money in the bank, and she probably wouldn’t have much more walk-in traffic today.

      Hank stepped up close, reaching out to take one of her curls and rubbing it between his fingers. Then he slid his hand behind her neck before he lowered to capture her lips in a kiss.

      For one beautiful second, Kit forgot everything—the flowers, the van, Erin and all her troubles—as Hank’s mouth worked some magic on hers. He pulled her up tight against him, and there was no mistaking that the kiss was working on him, too.

      When he broke away, they were both breathless.

      “Sorry, Kath, but I’ve been thinking about nothing else but kissing you again since the other night.”

      Kit was wordless. He was the only one who ever called her anything but Kit and she liked it. But she also didn’t have time for it.

      “I had a lot of fun the other night, but I don’t have time for this right now.”

      He watched her closely, and his friendly gaze took on a special, masculine warmth as it traveled over her face.

      “What can I do to help?”

      “Huh?”

      “You’re having a tough day. How can I help?”

      Kit was taken off guard. If she couldn’t name СКАЧАТЬ